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MR TINY paused briefly when he reached us The short, plu a shabby yellow suit - a thin jacket, no overcoat - with childish-looking green Wellington boots and a chunky pair of glasses The heart-shaped watch he always carried hung by a chain froent of fate - his first name was Desether, you got Mr Destiny
"You’ve grown, young Shan," he said, running an eye over me "And you, Harkat" He sreen eyes seeed beyond recognition Wearing your hood doorking for va!"
"You knew I could talk," Harkatback into his old broken speech habits "You always knew"
Mr Tiny nodded, then started forward "Enough of the chit-chat, boys I have work to do and I must be quick Time is precious A volcano’s due to erupt on a small tropical island tomorrow Everybody within a ten-kilometre radius will be roasted alive I want to be there - it sounds like great fun"
He wasn’t joking That’s why everyone feared hiedies which left anyone halfway human shaken to their very core
We followed Mr Tiny up the mountain, trailed by the two Little People Harkat looked back often at his ’brothers’ I think he was co with thehts - but he said nothing to me about it
Mr Tiny entered the mountain by a different tunnel to the one we’d used It was a tunnel I’d never been in, higher, wider and drier thanoff it It rose straight and steady up the spine of theat the walls of the unfamiliar tunnel "This is one of my short cuts," he said "I’ve short cuts all over the world, in places you wouldn’t drearoups of very pale-skinned hu low to Mr Tiny These were the Guardians of the Blood, people who lived within Vampire Mountain and donated their blood to the vampires In return, they were allowed to extract a vaans and brain when he died - which they ate at special cere past the ranks of Guardians - I’d never seen so ether before - but Mr Tiny only se any words
Within a quarter of an hour ere at the gate which opened on to the Halls of Va the door wide open e knocked but stopped when he saw Mr Tiny and half closed it again "Who are you?" he snapped defensively, hand snaking to the sword on his belt
"You knoho I auard
"How do you know azed after the departing figure He was tre and his hand had fallen away from his sword "Is that who I think it is?" he asked as I passed with Harkat and the Little People
"Yes," I said siasped, and er of his right hand to his forehead, and the two fingers next to that over his eyelids It was a sign vaht death was close
Through the tunnels wejaws to drop Even those who’d neverand fell in behind us, folloordlessly, as though trailing a hearse
There was only one tunnel leading to the Hall of Princes - I’d found another six years ago, but that had since been blocked off - and it was protected by the Mountain’s finest guards They were supposed to stop and search anyone seeking entry to the Hall, but when Mr Tiny approached, they gawped at him, lowered their weapons, then let him - and the rest of the procession - pass unobstructed
Mr Tiny finally stopped at the doors of the Hall and glanced at the do which he’d built six centuries earlier "It’s stood the test of time quite well, hasn’t it?" he re a hand on the doors, he opened them and entered Only Princes were supposed to be able to open the doors, but it didn’t surprise me that Mr Tiny had the power to control them too
Mika and Paris ithin the Hall, discussing the ith a gaggle of Generals There were a lot of sore heads and bleary eyes, but everyone snapped to attention when they saw Mr Tiny striding in
"By the teeth of the gods!" Paris gasped, his face whitening He cringed as Mr Tiny set foot on the platforht sood to see you"
"You too, Paris," Mr Tiny responded
"To what do e this unexpected pleasure?" Paris enquired with strained politeness
"Wait a minute and I’ll tell you," Mr Tiny replied, then plopped his anda finger at Mika "I’ve so to say and it’s for everybody’s ears"